Question

How do you combine like terms in $7r - 4 + r + 2?$

Answer 1

Hint: Like terms are the terms having the same variables and its power. All constant terms that are without any variable are also known as the like terms. Here we will apply the same and will simplify for the resultant required value.

Complete step by step answer:
Take the given expression: $7r - 4 + r + 2$
Arrange the like terms together by taking all the terms with the variable “r” together and all constants together.
$ = \underline {7r + r} - \underline {4 + 2} $
Simplify the terms combining the like terms. When you add two positive terms resultant value is positive. When you add one negative term and one positive term, you have to do subtraction and give signs of bigger numbers.
$ = 8r - 2$
This is the required solution.

Note: Always remember that like terms with the same value and opposite sign cancel each other. Remember following rules While doing simplification -
Addition of two positive terms gives the positive term
Addition of one negative and positive term, you have to do subtraction and give sign of bigger numbers, whether positive or negative.
Addition of two negative numbers gives negative number but in actual you have to add both the numbers and give negative sign to the resultant answer